I use a mono pod often. fit the seat post mount to the narrower end, then it is better balanced when holding and more steady. I glued on a flat stick on mount (with the sticky stuff removed) so no unscrewing to take on and off...

Set up works ok on the coast and easy trails but not a good idea riding one handed on anything rough
mix it up with some chest and gorilla pod mounted ride by shots and try half slow when editing to get more film time as you ride by, and i also mount the Go Pro above the front tyre riding a ridged bike, (Larry cam :-))
just edited on Windows movie maker so nothing fancy...

Some cracking ones there thanks folks.
Was trying to work out how they did all the ones on that Kodiak Alaska vid but not sure. Maybe a heli-cam on some of them? Couldn't see any rope/wire on the sweeping following shots...

Liking that Jedi. Off-bike shots can be quite good. I think I'd want to try to add a bit of dynamic movement to the shots if I could, it adds a little something but its easy to fall into the trap of doing the same thing.
(how did you work out the position of the twin rails on the northshore corner? Trial and error and bent mech hangers?)

The resolution on the actual Gopro promo is unreal when you watch it off Youtube, how come it looks so different to the others? Is it purely down to upload compression etc?
I know Youtube compresses the hell out of footage but I thought Vimeo didn't. The Vimeo ones always look a lot better.
Is the resolution as good as that straight off the camera?(presuming you use the highest quality setting)

Keep em coming, but off bike/rider footage is really what I want to see done well.

The resolution on the actual Gopro promo is unreal when you watch it off Youtube, how come it looks so different to the others? Is it purely down to upload compression etc?
I know Youtube compresses the hell out of footage but I thought Vimeo didn't. The Vimeo ones always look a lot better.
Is the resolution as good as that straight off the camera?(presuming you use the highest quality setting)

This is what I'm wondering as well. No footage I've seen from "normal" users looks anywhere near as good as the official GoPro stuff but then again I bet not many people bother or have the knowledge to improve it in post. I borrowed an original GoPro last year and thought the quality was a bit crap. Really blocky and soft straight out the camera. I'd like to know how GoPro got their promo looking so good because it'd be awesome to have that quality!

If you are a photographer and feel you would be limited by not having the control over the image in the same way you do with your Nikon then the GoPro (or any other "sports cam) will feel really limiting.

About 2 hours ago I just ordered a Canon 600D because I have found that I'm at the limit of what I can do creatively with only a GoPro. I want the control you have with a DSLR in terms of depth of field and focal length. The wide angle of the GoPro is great... until its not. Wasted so many chances of big epic "down the valley" type shots because as soon as you are 20ft away you are a tiny spec in the image.

I think the GoPro Promo stuff comes out looking so good because its always shot in perfect conditions. Lighting is really important to achieve those really nice clean, saturated looks. The things that people are talking about being crap with their GoPro footage is quite difficult to take out in post.

I think the perfect combination will be a DSLR and a sports cam. You can get all your beautiful cinematic off bike shots but then mix them up with great on the frame stuff. Another thing to remember is that there are just times when you won't want to use the DSRL because you are worried about breaking it, where as I'll put the GoPro almost any where.

If you have the budget to drop £500+ on a DSLR that you will use it for stills pics as well then I would say go for that and you can always pick up a GoPro HD1 down the line for less than a new lens for the DSLR (my mate just got one for £160). Just think of it as a wide angle lens you can take any where. Another "warning" though you will probably have to get into editing in a a bigger way if you want to make the footage match cutting between the 2 cameras. Colour grading will become your friend.

kayak23 - Member
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Was trying to work out how they did all the ones on that Kodiak Alaska vid but not sure. Maybe a heli-cam on some of them? Couldn't see any rope/wire on the sweeping following shots...